Welding: Safety and Health Protections

Welding, cutting, and brazing are hazardous activities that pose a unique combination of both safety and health risks to more than 500,000 workers in a wide variety of industries. The risk from fatal injuries alone is more than four deaths per thousand workers over a working lifetime. Health hazards from welding include exposures to metal fumes and to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Safety hazards include burns, eye damage, electric shock, and hearing loss. Many of these can be controlled with proper work practices and personal protective equipment (PPE).

This course is designed to teach workers directly involved in the welding process how to stay safe. Specifically, it covers activities that must be completed before welding can begin, how to prevent and protect against fire, and precautions one should take to protect themselves against health and safety hazards.

After completing this course, learners will be able to:

• Identify where and how welding is permitted
• Prepare a welding area to protect against fires
• Explain how to protect themselves from welding hazards